Porcupine Balls

So let me tell you about one of my FAVORITE meals growing up. We would go camping, and my family would take these for me to eat for breakfast. BREAKFAST?! Yes, breakfast. I don’t like breakfast foods much. Well, I do now, but I didn’t then. And I still don’t like eggs. (Cooked in things, yes. Fried or scrambled or poached for breakfast? Gag me.)

Let me tell you about Porcupine Balls.

Porcupine, what?! Who wants to eat a porcupine?!

No joke. These things are deliciousness on a plate. I’m telling you: so easy. I’d tell you it’s so easy my sister could do it, but she burned boiling potatoes once. And then put the scalding pot outside on a rubber mat.

Sorry, Heide. We’ll keep you anyway.

ANYWAY, here you go!

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. rice (you can use minute or regular. I’ll explain more on this below.)

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1 can tomato soup (in our house, it’s ONLY Campbell’s)

1 t. worchestershire sauce

2/3 soup can water

I say you can use minute or regular rice. I use regular uncooked rice because I like texture. I like a little crunch. A little crunch never hurt anyone! Lee, on the other hand, prefers mush. So if you’re like Farmer Lee, you’ll want to go for minute rice, or already cooked regular long grain rice.

I digress.

Mix the ground beef, rice, bread crumbs, onion and egg in a large mixing bowl. Form into 1.5 inch balls and place in a greased 8″x8″ square pan – or pie pan – or a similar sized pan. Because you’re baking a tomatoey product, though, I recommend it is glass and not metal. I’m sure there’s a really highly scientific reason for why the tomatoey stuff breaks down in metaly stuff, but I’m not here to tell you about that. I’m here to get some good food on your plate.

I digress.

Mix your tomato soup, worchestershire sauce, and can of water in a small bowl and pour over top of the meat/rice balls.

Cover in foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Then, uncover, and eat your heart out! But you may want to wait until they cool a little. But if you’re like me, you have no patience, will dig in, and burn your tongue. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

I serve these with a vegetable! Because we need vegetables in our lives! 🙂 I prefer corn or green beans, or a nice side salad, but go be adventurous if you’d like. After all, you’re eating PORCUPINE BALLS! 🙂